Your Character's Name: [Jane Thompson] Four days we have been wandering, and I'm not sure we are getting anywhere. What have we found, wires? I like to honor my debts, but this one may last forever. Maybe we can find somethig else for the Church. Fresh smoking venison fills the air as I try to relax watching the stars. In one of those books I had back home, people would wish upon 'shooting stars.' I'm not sure what a shooting star is; it never came up in any other literature that I can remember. The flames bounced around our area, and I hoped Dahvin would have better luck on watch than he did last night. These two deer worth of meat have been the only good thing that has happened today. And maybe the horse. I roll towards the fire and replay the chaos that was the last 24 hours: Crazy guy, check. Can't possibly have a day without that! This one was trained in explosives, even better. Dahvin shot him in the leg, and as much as Kate wanted to diffuse the situation I was certain he wouldn't join us if he lived. Even so, and with all the blood loss, I examined the wound to see if recovery was probable. That's when the twigs snapping through the trees started, I was too exhausted for this tonight! The tension inside of me was building, and I was confused as to how these travels were any different than the other situations Kate and I have lived through. Dahvin called out to the newcomer, warning them of the bomb which somehow I had already completely forgotten about. The three of us looked toward our guest. Clearly, a man carrying something large. He stepped into the moonlight, and it was finally a welcomed site. Art stood yards from us carrying a severely injured woman. She was unconscious, and he was covered in loads of her blood. I didn't give the good as dead man a second thought, and crossed over to Art. As I approached, the light spread across Diane's face. Dahvin turned white as a ghost. Back by the campfire I miraculously stabilize her, and bandage the open wounds. There is so much blood I can taste the iron. Rifling through the first-aid kit I find some tubing and the largest needles I had ever seen. This was going to be painful, but she desperately needed blood. I recalled what was important about blood typing and prayed I knew what I was doing. Testing each of us, of course I'd be the only match. I jury-rigged a transfusion, through stifled yelps. I knew the next couple hours of rest would not be enough for any of us. I didn't sleep anymore and when the sun was finally up I grew restless quickly and packed everyone's things for them. We needed to start moving . Diane was conscious now, but in no fit to go anywhere, briefly I reconsidered leaving right away. I half-heartedly listened to Art explain his adventure to Dahvin as I checked on Diane's bandages. In all the commotion I hadn't even thought to ask Kate how she was. I looked over only to see her muttering silently, tapping her hand again. The compulsion was the only thing holding her together. Suddenly, rumbling echoed out of the trees and Diane bolted upright. She screamed run over and over again. I grabbed my stuff and told Kate to get with Art on the bike. Dahvin lifted Diane off of the ground and he and I began sprinting after Kate and Art. Then the claymore triggered. Again I had forgotten about it. I looked back a few times to see two rider-less horses emerge from the tree line. We were going to be stampeded by wild horses? This wasn't happening. Turns out it wasn't; when I looked back again a group still carrying their riders emerged from the smoldering trees. I made a quick decision. I turned and braced myself to grab the reigns of one the loose horses charging towards us still. The horse had no saddle and it was harder to control, but it finally complied as I circled Dahvin. He lifted Diane to me, she was unconscious again. Convenient. I draped her over the horse in front of me and Dahvin screamed for me to go. Art noticed the predicament and dropped Kate off ahead and circled back for him on his bike. As I caught up to Kate, another stroke of luck hit me, as we grabbed eachother's arm's and I swung her up behind me. I hoped the horse could handle three women, even if we were small. In her stream of consciousness Diane said something about south, go south, I looked back hoping Art could outrun the horsemen.
~~
We approached an old bike shop, the Horsemen no longer behind us. Some windows were broken, but it looked like it could stand its own. Peering through the screen it reeked of rotting flesh, and blood covered the rickety counter. Inside, the owner and his son recounted their story about a group with a trained bear. The story was gruesome, even by my standards. The child had witnessed the whole event from the closet. His other father was decapitated and then fed to the bear! From what I could deduce, nothing seemed out of order, the place still seemed well stocked. The only signs of struggle coming from right by the counter. The group did this for fun? Kate warmed up to the boy and even shared one of the last candy bars she had. She saw herself in him. Hell, I even saw a little of my more innocent self. The father continued his story as I sized up their merchandise. We could get some stuff to maintain Art's bike. And then as the horrifying tale came to an end the most crucial details floated through my ears from the boy's lips, "...his silver eyes were the scariest." I froze and mine and Kate's eyes met. Mercury Steele. I had met this man once before. After what he almost did to us, I swore he'd never do it again if we met again. And we were on his trail. He stooped to a new low feeding people to bears for sport. I offered our services instantly. The broken family were thrilled have justice. Kate and Dahvin readily agreed, but I knew Art would be hard to convince. I finally persuaded him by getting anything and everything we needed from the shop. We built a stable cart for the horse to pull primarily for Diane to recover, but it'd be useful all around. A new mission: check. Westarted out the way we thought Steele and the others may be heading, but bunkered down for camp after taking down the deer. And there I was staring into the fire. Muffled sobs came from Kate and I couldn't decide what was the best option on comforting her. Exhaustion overtook us all as Dahvin played look out again. I really hoped he'd have better luck tonight.
Four days we have been wandering, and I'm not sure we are getting anywhere. What have we found, wires? I like to honor my debts, but this one may last forever. Maybe we can find somethig else for the Church.
Fresh smoking venison fills the air as I try to relax watching the stars. In one of those books I had back home, people would wish upon 'shooting stars.' I'm not sure what a shooting star is; it never came up in any other literature that I can remember. The flames bounced around our area, and I hoped Dahvin would have better luck on watch than he did last night. These two deer worth of meat have been the only good thing that has happened today. And maybe the horse.
I roll towards the fire and replay the chaos that was the last 24 hours: Crazy guy, check. Can't possibly have a day without that! This one was trained in explosives, even better. Dahvin shot him in the leg, and as much as Kate wanted to diffuse the situation I was certain he wouldn't join us if he lived. Even so, and with all the blood loss, I examined the wound to see if recovery was probable.
That's when the twigs snapping through the trees started, I was too exhausted for this tonight! The tension inside of me was building, and I was confused as to how these travels were any different than the other situations Kate and I have lived through.
Dahvin called out to the newcomer, warning them of the bomb which somehow I had already completely forgotten about. The three of us looked toward our guest. Clearly, a man carrying something large. He stepped into the moonlight, and it was finally a welcomed site. Art stood yards from us carrying a severely injured woman. She was unconscious, and he was covered in loads of her blood. I didn't give the good as dead man a second thought, and crossed over to Art. As I approached, the light spread across Diane's face. Dahvin turned white as a ghost.
Back by the campfire I miraculously stabilize her, and bandage the open wounds. There is so much blood I can taste the iron. Rifling through the first-aid kit I find some tubing and the largest needles I had ever seen. This was going to be painful, but she desperately needed blood. I recalled what was important about blood typing and prayed I knew what I was doing. Testing each of us, of course I'd be the only match. I jury-rigged a transfusion, through stifled yelps. I knew the next couple hours of rest would not be enough for any of us.
I didn't sleep anymore and when the sun was finally up I grew restless quickly and packed everyone's things for them. We needed to start moving . Diane was conscious now, but in no fit to go anywhere, briefly I reconsidered leaving right away. I half-heartedly listened to Art explain his adventure to Dahvin as I checked on Diane's bandages. In all the commotion I hadn't even thought to ask Kate how she was. I looked over only to see her muttering silently, tapping her hand again. The compulsion was the only thing holding her together.
Suddenly, rumbling echoed out of the trees and Diane bolted upright. She screamed run over and over again. I grabbed my stuff and told Kate to get with Art on the bike. Dahvin lifted Diane off of the ground and he and I began sprinting after Kate and Art. Then the claymore triggered. Again I had forgotten about it. I looked back a few times to see two rider-less horses emerge from the tree line. We were going to be stampeded by wild horses? This wasn't happening. Turns out it wasn't; when I looked back again a group still carrying their riders emerged from the smoldering trees. I made a quick decision. I turned and braced myself to grab the reigns of one the loose horses charging towards us still. The horse had no saddle and it was harder to control, but it finally complied as I circled Dahvin. He lifted Diane to me, she was unconscious again. Convenient. I draped her over the horse in front of me and Dahvin screamed for me to go. Art noticed the predicament and dropped Kate off ahead and circled back for him on his bike.
As I caught up to Kate, another stroke of luck hit me, as we grabbed eachother's arm's and I swung her up behind me. I hoped the horse could handle three women, even if we were small. In her stream of consciousness Diane said something about south, go south, I looked back hoping Art could outrun the horsemen.
~~
We approached an old bike shop, the Horsemen no longer behind us. Some windows were broken, but it looked like it could stand its own. Peering through the screen it reeked of rotting flesh, and blood covered the rickety counter. Inside, the owner and his son recounted their story about a group with a trained bear.
The story was gruesome, even by my standards. The child had witnessed the whole event from the closet. His other father was decapitated and then fed to the bear! From what I could deduce, nothing seemed out of order, the place still seemed well stocked. The only signs of struggle coming from right by the counter. The group did this for fun?
Kate warmed up to the boy and even shared one of the last candy bars she had. She saw herself in him. Hell, I even saw a little of my more innocent self. The father continued his story as I sized up their merchandise. We could get some stuff to maintain Art's bike. And then as the horrifying tale came to an end the most crucial details floated through my ears from the boy's lips, "...his silver eyes were the scariest."
I froze and mine and Kate's eyes met. Mercury Steele. I had met this man once before. After what he almost did to us, I swore he'd never do it again if we met again. And we were on his trail. He stooped to a new low feeding people to bears for sport.
I offered our services instantly. The broken family were thrilled have justice. Kate and Dahvin readily agreed, but I knew Art would be hard to convince. I finally persuaded him by getting anything and everything we needed from the shop. We built a stable cart for the horse to pull primarily for Diane to recover, but it'd be useful all around.
A new mission: check.
Westarted out the way we thought Steele and the others may be heading, but bunkered down for camp after taking down the deer.
And there I was
staring into the fire. Muffled sobs came from Kate and I couldn't decide what was the best option on comforting her. Exhaustion overtook us all as Dahvin played look out again. I really hoped he'd have better luck tonight.